1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to a technique of generating output image data, based on ornamental image data that gives some ornamental effect to objective image data and layout control information that specifies layout locations and layout dimensions of respective objective image data to be laid out on the ornamental image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are some practical techniques of pasting objective image data, for example, image data taken by an imaging device, on ornamental image data, for example, frame image data, to output a resulting output image including objective images surrounded by an ornamental image on a medium, such as paper. This technique uses layout control information including a script that describes layout locations and layout dimensions of the objective image data laid out on the ornamental image data.
The layout control information is related to the ornamental image data. In response to the user's selection and layout of objective image data on ornamental image data, this technique pastes the objective image data resized to preset dimensions at preset locations in the ornamental image data and thereby generates a resulting output image including the objective images surrounded by the ornamental image.
This prior art technique requires the user to select and lay out all the objective image data on the ornamental image data. The selection and layout of a large number of objective image data takes a relatively long time. It is not easy for the standard user to determine the effective layout of objective image data on ornamental image data. A technique of easily and impressively laying out objective image data on ornamental image data is thus highly demanded.